Cleaning Pockets
by IamtheProxy
Summary: A thief. The thief actually. The one people knew as the Black Breeze. She was more of a tempest really, not so much a breeze, given the fact that if she breaks into your house she practically ransacks everything… in a rather neat and orderly manner. BrynjolfxOC
1. INTRO

Hello readers! This is a BrynjolfxOC story. Hope you enjoy, and please if you would, review and tell me if I should continue this or stop where I am. This is only the intro, and the chapters will be much longer. Hope you enjoy!

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"Man oh man… look at all of this _gold!" _The woman exclaimed. "I've hit the fucking jackpot." She laughed and grinned greedily as she stuffed her sack full of golden septims.

Said woman's name was Kari. Kari Mistral. She was a typical gold digger. Not in the sense of finding a wealthy old man who would die soon and leave his fortune in her name, but rather the type that likes to find it dangerously. You know… the way a thief would.

Yup. A thief. _The _thief actually. The one people knew as the Black Breeze. She was more of a tempest really, not so much a breeze, given the fact that if she breaks into your house she practically ransacks everything… in a rather neat and orderly manner. She doesn't leave any clues to if she had been in your room, save for the fact that all of the nice, pretty, expensive items are gone and probably already sold into the black market.

She guessed she was called that because it sounded better than something like the black squall, or the black airstream. She rather liked it herself… thought it fit her nicely. All things considered. She even found it ironic how the people gave her a little nickname wind related, since her first name meant 'gust of wind' and her last meant 'violent winds.'

She had never known her parents and had never really thought about them, but sometimes she wondered what made them give her two names that were related to the movement of air. She would never know, but it didn't really matter.

No one knew what she looked like due to the black face mask wrapped around her mouth and nose, leaving only her eyes visible to the world… though even they were shrouded in darkness. She wore all black… black leather cuirass with ebony plating here and there, and some black leather boots with fur on the inside to keep her feet warm and her steps soft. Along with everything else, there was the black leather, ebony plated pants that were very comfortable and easy to maneuver in. Topping it all off was the face mask mentioned earlier, and a black, cloth hood that was lined with a dark grey fur from some unknown animal. All in all, a very stealthy, quiet get-up that allowed easy movement, and a decent amount of protection.

She was about through with the stuffing of her bag when she giggled again, only to be cut off by the sound of a door opening below her. She sighed in exasperation.

"Damn. This was supposed to be an easy mark." Without much thought, the breeze flew to the darkest corner of the room, and crouched down low. Eyes were darting to every crack and crevice in the room, looking for the easiest escape route. There wasn't a single window in this room however, and her brain quickly came to the conclusion that the only way out would be the downstairs door.

She could hear the footsteps of her victim coming up the wooden stairs, and casually getting closer to the very room she was in. Body tense, and muscles ready, the door opened to reveal a young imperial man who barely looked to be out of his teens.

He was walking to the bed, looking worn down and tired. He had left the door open much to Kari's glee, since when the man had opened it, it had made the most awful creaking sound. Seeing as how her targets back was now facing her, she quickly sprinted out of the door without a sound… or so she had hoped. The second her foot met the first step of the old, wooden, cracked stairs… well it wasn't the most appealing noise, and it most certainly wasn't quiet. Ignoring the sound of the gasp coming from the young man, she kept sprinting.

"Shit…. Shit shit shit shit." She was down the stairs and around the corner by the time she heard the man step on the annoyingly noisy step she had screwed herself on. Dancing and skipping her way around the many tables, chairs, and other normal house-hold furniture that stood in her way of freedom, she quickly made her way to and out of the door. Still running, she glanced back only once to see the man looking out after her, but she knew he wasn't able to see her dark form. Even with the light of the moon glaring on her. She was simply too sneaky, and this thought made her ego puff up.

She felt a gust of wind through her armor, and smiled. Gods be damned, she loved what she did.


	2. Chapter 1

Next chapter. Enjoy!

Thanks to my Beta, ClayPuppet!

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"Ah what a wonderful day it is! It's nice and warm outside and there is not a cloud to be seen in the vast, blue sky through which the gods created!" Kari stated loudly and to herself while walking through the forests right outside the walls of the imperial city.

"It's too bad someone's day is about to get ruined." She smiled and started humming a small tune to herself. She could see the entrance to the main part of the city. Over the top of the walls the white-gold tower was ever present, standing tall and proud. She had always wanted to climb that tower, and look out over everyone and everything. Though it would never happen.

Once inside she walked around the merchant stalls, looking for anything she thought was worth stealing. She couldn't see anything worth the hassle though and continued on her way to the inner part of the city. She was heading towards a nobles house. He was rich, and the estate well-guarded… except for right now.

Her mark was currently out of town, or really completely out of the province of Cyrodiil. On his way to a wedding…

Most of the mercenaries that would watch the estate were currently on break, and the rest traveled with the target. The last home she had broken into could have gone smoother, and she felt she needed to redeem herself.

She wasn't wearing her normal attire… or rather it was hidden from sight. She wore a dark green cloak that engulfed her frame, hiding all weapons and poisons she carried on her person. Her face was free of the mask, revealing her true face, though no one knew she was the Black Breeze. To everyone who saw her, she was just a traveler passing through the city. No one special and no one worth a second glance…

Just how she liked it.

It was starting to get darker outside, though not by much. She was standing in front of the large stone-walled house, and glanced over it quickly. She noticed a door on the side of the house, and no guards standing watch. This was the way she was getting inside.

There was a lock on the door, but a very simple lock that would not require more than a simple twist and turn of a lockpick. Doing just that, the lock fell from the door and she skipped inside.

It was a beautiful home, and she could feel the excitement bubbling inside of her. She had _really_ hit the jackpot this time.

"Oh my, where should I look first?" Looking around, still wary of making too much noise, she noticed a locked door. Sneaking over to it, she unlocked it as well, though it was a little more challenging than that of the previous lock.

Glancing around inside, much to her chagrin there was nothing of importance. It was only a storage room filled with food. Sighing she shut the door and replaced the lock. Quickly, she moved on.

Creeping upstairs, quiet as a shadow, she walked down a long corridor lit with few candles. Said light sources didn't provide a well-lit environment. At the end of the hallway however, was a large wooden door with delicate patterns running across the wood and frame.

_There must be something important in there. _Kari thought with hope.

The door wasn't locked, which made her a little more wary and cautious. She opened it slowly, and the door made no sound whatsoever. Her feet didn't make a sound either. She couldn't see very far into the room, as there were no candles or torches. She didn't dare turn back to get one.

She stayed near the wall, and kept her hand on it. Letting it guide her way as her eyes adjusted to the darkness as quickly as possible. She could now make out the shapes of things and saw what looked like a chest in the corner of the room, and rapidly made her way over to it. It wasn't locked, and it wasn't booby trapped.

Opening it quietly, she pulled out the only thing in the chest. A golden candlestick encrusted with diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires.

Eyes widened at her discovery, and she made up her mind. This was all she was taking.

It could set her up for at least half a year. She could kick back, travel, and take it easy.

She grinned, and fled through the side door that she had originally come in through. She had found what she needed, and would sell it as soon as possible.

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It was dark outside. Judging from the position of the moon in the sky, it was a little after midnight.

Kari walked down the empty streets, void of all life and light save for her own person. Following a path she knew by heart, she arrived to the sewer entrance. This was the underground city that all of the black market dealers would hang out at.

Due to her recent find, she had thought about how she could get the best deal out of the treasure. She knew who to turn to.

Taking off her green cloak, she adjusted her face mask and covered her face once again, and finished by bringing the black hood up to cover her completely. She folded the cloak up and set it aside. She didn't want it to smell bad after she was through down there.

Lifting the hatch that allowed entrance underneath the city, she lowered herself down a ladder. It took only a few moments before her feet touched the ground, and the sound of light snoring and laughter drifted throughout the tunnels.

She could smell alcohol and smoke. It filled her nostrils and lungs to the brim, but she wouldn't cough. She held her breath as she walked past the people sleeping in bedrolls.

_Gods all mighty it smells like complete and utter shite down here. _She held her nose in order to keep herself from breathing in.

Jogging the rest of the way, she still followed a familiar path, closing in on her destination. She could see him now. The large but nimble cat-man sat cross-legged, smoking a pipe full of weed and reading a book. He glanced up as he sensed her approaching. He snapped the book shut but continued to smoke the pipe.

"So…" He took a drag. "What brings you here? 'Borrow' something interesting?"

"Yes actually. I think you are going to like this Jar'zhad." Kari held out the candle stick and said Khajiit looked at it with interest.

"This is definitely a good find. What are your reasons for bringing it to me tonight hmm? Is Jar'zhad to buy it off of you, or do you have another reason?"

"Well I was wondering if you knew how much it would get me." Kari asked.

"I could pay you about five thousand septims for it, but that is only because business has been somewhat slow lately, and the income has not been as good." He paused. "I know someone who could get you triple the amount what I would be able to give you though… and Jar'zhad is only telling you this because he has known you for a long time."

"Well thanks for not scamming me I guess… and who was it you had in mind?"

"A woman named Tonilia. She is a fence for the thieves' guild in Skyrim. Jar'zhad thinks it would be worth the time and effort to go and sell it to her. "

Kari was silent for a moment, contemplating the information she had just received. "Where is she located in Skyrim?"

"Riften. Where in Riften, Jar'zhad is not quite sure. That is up to you to find out." The doped up, yet still coherent feline told her.

"Thanks. I guess I am on my way to Skyrim then." Kari nodded her thanks, and walked away. She only just saw him take another hit from the pipe and open the book again to read, smiling when she saw the cover of the book.

That pervy old man was reading "The Lusty Argonian Maid." She grinned and continued to walk out of the sewers.

She grabbed her green cloak, and donned it on her body yet again. She hastened her pace to make it out of the city before the guards changed shifts. This is what they commonly do during this time of night.

She thought about how she was going to get to Riften. It wasn't extremely far in all honesty. She could easily get there by horse, though she had never cared much for the beasts. She thought they seemed untrustworthy, and unpredictable.

Sighing she walked through the gates she had approached and made her way to the stables found right outside of the city.

Picking the horse that looked the least aggressive, and the lightest, she hopped onto its' back and kicked it hard. The black horse took off with a neigh, and they both galloped into the night.

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"Damn, I'm tired…" Kari mumbled to herself.

It had been about three days since she had left the imperial city. She had crossed the border about an hour ago and was now in Skyrim. She had only gotten a few hours of sleep here and there because of an annoying group of bandits, some cave bears, and vampires who thought it wise to attack her each night while traveling. To say it had been an easy journey would be a lie, but she had been on much more challenging hikes in her life.

She continued on and pulled out her map she had… borrowed from a small farm just on the outskirts of the border. It held the entirety of the province of Skyrim, and she had it marked down where she needed to go.

Riften. A city that was home to the thieves' guild, and corrupt to its very core. She couldn't wait to set eyes on it herself.

Another hour passed and she could see the pathway that would lead up to the hold. Clucking to her horse, it started trotting to get her there faster. Within a few minutes, she was in front of the Riften stables. Not really worrying about the beast anymore, she handed him over to the stable master without much more than a 'take her.'

The man had asked her questions about the horse but walked away from him, and ignoring every question shot at her.

Walking to the wooden gates that would lead her into the city, she was stopped because of a guard.

"Hold there. Before I let you in, you have to pay the visitor's tax." The heavily built man said.

"Visitor's tax? That's ridiculous. Why should I have to pay _you_ to enter the city?" Kari asked, outraged.

The guard shrugged as though indifferent. "You just do. Now give me the money, or walk away."

"Hn… I don't think I will do either. This sounds like a shakedown to me." Kari said, and with each word her voice got louder. Steeling her eyes to show no weakness in them, she glared right at the man.

"A-alright! Keep your voice down… I'll let you inside. J-just… let me unlock the gates." The guard stuttered nervously. As he turned around to unlock the gates, she couldn't help but feel at home here already. She had just gotten here, and already someone was trying to scam her? And a guard no less.

_Maybe I'll stick around here for a while. _She thought with a small smile.

Walking inside once the gates had been opened, and ignoring the guard completely, she saw a city covered in a smelly fog with people of all statures and attitudes walking about a market in the center of town. To get there, she had to walk over a bridge that was suspended above a small canal that wrapped around the entire city which led to the lake outside. The buildings were made of wood, and some connected in one way or another. There was an inn, which she was thankful for, and general stores which would be more than simple to steal from. All the way at the end of the city was the Jarl's palace. The Jarl was the leader of the hold, from what she had heard from the random talking of people in Cyrodiil. She would have to meet the ruler of Riften later.

She stood in front of a stall that contained a few pieces of armor. They were all very generic and wouldn't provide much use. However, Kari could feel the small amount of warmth wafting from underneath the woman's armor stall. This meant there were enchanted pieces of armor. She would have to come back to this place later. Before she could walk away, the woman behind the stall felt the need to be rude to her.

"Hey! You gonna buy something or not?" The woman was of average height and weight, and had shoulder length brown hair. There was really nothing special about her.

"No actually. Your stall has nothing of use for me." Kari replied nonchalantly.

"Well then get out of here if you don't plan on spending any gold!" The brown eyed woman exclaimed angrily.

"Hn." Was all Kari said back.

She turned around to walk away from the stall, but almost ran face first into a tall red headed nord that had walked over to her from a small merchant stand. He had a strong jaw, and green eyes. Greener than any she had seen before.

He was staring down his nose at her, "Ain't worked a day in your life for all that coin you're carrying… eh lass?"

"Um… what are you talking about?" Kari asked suspiciously.

"I'm saying you've got the coin, but you didn't earn a septim of it honestly… I can tell." His green eyes danced with amusement at her cautiousness.

"My wealth is none of your concern." She replied adamantly.

"Oh well that's where you're wrong lass." He said. "It's my job to be concerned with everyone's wealth, since it's a part of my profession to know who to take from."

_Oh… he's in the thieves' guild… Well I guess that makes sense. _Kira thought.

He didn't wait for her to say anything. "I've got a bit of an errand to perform. Maybe you'd like a taste?"

She paused. "…What do you have in mind?" She was starting to get curious.

"There's a trader right here in Riften that a client has paid us to take down. His name is Brand-Shei. Since we don't take out targets as violently as the Dark Brotherhood, we'll need to do this quietly."

"Sounds good… but what exactly do I need to do?" Kari asked.

"I need you to break into Modesi's strongbox under his stand, and take his gold ring. Once you have it, I want you to plant it on Brand-Shei. I'll provide the distraction." He paused for a second. "Modesi is the Argonian, and Brand-Shei is the dark elf. That should be everything you need to know." He turned and started walking to his stand.

Kari pretended the conversation had never happened. She walked over to the only Argonian in the market and looked at the jewelry he had on display. After a few minutes of gazing at the beautiful body ornaments, she could hear the voice of the red-headed nord.

"Listen, everyone! Gather around! I have something amazing to show you!"

The people in the market started to make their way over to his stand, including Modesi. As soon as the man was nowhere near her she darted behind the stand as she made sure no one was looking at her. She opened the sliding door of the stand, and used her lock picks to quickly unlock the strongbox. Once it was opened, she reached inside and pulled out an emerald, which she pocketed, and a coin purse, which she also pocketed. She finally picked up the ring, shut the strongbox, and closed the stall door.

Walking away from Modesi's stand, she made her way over to the dark elf's stall. The male thief was still talking about the 'amazing product, called Falmer Blood Elixir,' and was still providing a good distraction. Though the people of Riften didn't seem all that impressed…

"That's enough Brynjolf! We've heard it all before!" Her mark yelled out.

_So his name is Brynjolf hmm? Suits him. _She smiled.

Brynjolf responded in a most civil manner, and continued on trying to sell his supposedly amazing potion when it was probably nothing more than water with honey.

Kari looked at the stall the dark elf inhabited during the day, and was happy to see the perfect cover. There were stacks of boxes that would allow cover for her while she dropped the ring off in the elf's pocket.

She crouched down and snuck her way behind the boxes. She pulled the ring out of one of her many pockets and slowly dropped the ring into Brand-Shei's back pocket, in his tan trousers.

Pulling back she got up and walked away. Then she pretended to be one of the many people interested in buying Brynjolf's wares. Once she knew his eyes were on her, she nodded once to let him know the job was completed.

"Alright everyone, that's it for the day! Thank you for your time, and your gold!" He finished selling another of the bottles to a traveler who obviously didn't know of the scam Brynjolf was pulling on her.

After all of the observers had scattered, she approached the red-head and said, "Jobs done."

"Good job lass. You finished the job with no strings attached. Here you are." He said as he handed Kari a pouch full of gold. "It's a surprise our plan went off without a hitch. Our guild has been going through a patch of bad luck lately."

"What's been going on? Oh, and thanks for the gold." Kari said to him.

"Aye, we take care of our own. You do the job right, you get paid for it." He hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I will let you know all about what has been going on if you can find your way into the Ragged Flagon. That's the home of the thieves' guild. Find your way there, and I'll know for sure that you're worth the guild's time, and mine."

"Hmm…so you don't think I'm worth your time eh? Well, I guess I will just have to prove you wrong!" Kari said adamantly. "But uh… where is the Ragged Flagon?"

Brynjolf rolled his eyes. "Follow the smell lass. You can't miss it."

With that, the conversation ended as Brynjolf walked away and into the inn a little ways away.

_Follow the smell? _Kari thought. _Hmm… he is trying to make it hard isn't he?_

So taking his advice, Kari took a big whiff of the air, finally realizing how bad it smelled here… most likely because of the sewers running underneath the city.

"Ohhhh…The sewers… Well I know where to go now." With that thought, she made her way to the entrance of the sewers… if she could find it.

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That's it! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. R&amp;R please!


	3. Chapter 2

Next chapter. Enjoy!

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Find it she did. It wasn't as hard as one might think to find the entrance to the sewers. It was rather un-inconspicuous. While it was on the docks in the lower part of the city, the entrance was guarded by a gate and surrounded by torches to light up the entry point.

So, following her nose like Brynjolf had told her to, she walked inside the door leading to the undergrounds. Kari was expecting trouble since the red-headed nord had said that if she couldn't get through this, she wouldn't be worth the guild's time. She would make it through. Especially if there was money involved.

It was dark inside. It was a long, stone, smelly, damp hallway that had maybe… _one_ torch lighting the path. She drew her first weapon, which was a handcrafted Daedric bow with tiny little designs etched on the surface of the bow. She then pulled an arrow out of her quiver and nocked it.

Kari had heard voices up ahead. She walked slower now, and she could see the back of a large, brutish man talking to a smaller, lean man. She slightly heard them talking, and she caught bits and pieces. They were talking about betraying the thieves' guild. So, without wasting any more time, she pulled the arrow back and released. By the time the arrow hit the head of the big guy, she already had another arrow locked and loaded.

The small man looked towards her, frightened. He turned and was about to run off when the arrow flew through the air and hit its mark in his throat with a '_thunk_._'_

"Huh… that was easier than I thought." Kari muttered. She kept her bow out in case she ran into any more of the thugs and lowlifes. Jogging past the two dead bodies, she continued onwards through a short hallway and made her way to a good sized drop. She looked down to make sure there weren't any more thugs, and thankfully there weren't.

Running silently through the many corridors, twists, and turns, and after killing a few more lowlifes with no problem, she had found her way to a door with a small symbol by it.

_A shadowmark eh? _She recognized this one as meaning the guild was ahead. Smirking to herself, she opened the door and saw a large… wet room. Like… there was a large round pool of water that had been filled up due to the water dripping down from the ceiling.

So…that was why it smelled. There was literal sewer water dripping into this place. Lovely.

She walked slowly into the room because she heard voices speaking about the guild.

"Give it up Brynjolf. You, Vex, Mercer… you are all part of a dying breed." The man who spoke voice' held concern and frustration as he stated his opinion.

"No… I'm telling you… this one is different." Brynjolf said back.

"I highly doubt that. When was the last time you found someone who showed even the slightest bit of promise in our field of work?" The same man bit back.

Kari figured it was time to reveal her presence to the group of thieves hanging around.

As she walked forward, Brynjolf stated, "Well what do you make of _that_ then?" He glared at the man who had been talking with him. Said man went behind the bar located at the main part of the room. He stared, but didn't say a word.

"Well well… color me impressed lass. I didn't think I would see you again." Kari could tell he was joking.

"Getting here was easy." She wasn't joking though. She was telling the truth. It _was _easy.

"Reliable, and headstrong? You're turning out to be quite the prize," He smirked. "Though I am afraid that I have one more assignment I need you to complete."

She only tilted her head in question as an answer.

"There are three marks the guild needs you to hit up. They owe our guild some serious coin and their debts are due. Your targets are Keerava, Haelga, and Bersi Honey-Hand. Go to them, and get the money. Word of warning though… no killing. We aren't the Dark Brotherhood." Brynjolf stated.

"No problem. Shouldn't be hard to not kill someone… though it can be fun sometimes." She answered with a smirk.

"Whatever lass. Just do it on your own time, and don't do it in the name of the guild. Best be off to your marks now. If you want any information on them, just let me know. If not, then go get your job done."

"I could use some help. Anything you can tell me about my targets?" She asked.

"Yeah there is. You see…" He told her about how Bersi's most prized possession was an ugly dwarven urn. He told her about how Haelga was a devoted Dibella follower, and how she absolutely treasured a small golden statue of said goddess. She was supposed to threaten to do something _awful _to it. Lastly, Brynjolf told Kari about Keerava and how she has a "fiancé" of sorts who also works at the Bee and Barb. If she were to maybe get some information from him, she should be able to use something to get the money.

That was all the information she needed to get the job done.

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I'm so sorry it took so long for this chapter, and that it didn't even break a thousand words. D:

Hope you liked the little bit I gave you though! R&amp;R please!


	4. Chapter 3

Next chapter is here! Enjoy!

OOOOOO

Kari had made her way out of the sewers and back onto the city streets all within a few minutes. She walked around, gazing at the people she passed, trying to remember all of the faces she was seeing. Trying to commit them to memory.

One may never know when they might need to recall a face. A few minutes had passed, and the first place she went to was Haelga's bunkhouse.

The second her foot hit the inside of the building, Haelga, the busty-blonde standing behind the counter, smiled seductively at her.

"Are you here for business, or for pleasure?"

"Definitely for business." Kari walked over to her slowly, taking her time to look around, as if she was looking for something (which she was). "I was sent her on behalf of Brynjolf, whom I believe you owe money to?"

"What does it matter? I have told him countless times that there is no way I can pay him back. So leave, before I call the guards!" Haelga's voice rose with each word. She was no longer trying to seduce Kari, but rather scare her into leaving.

"Hmm… I don't think that will happen without my leaving with the money in hand… so I suggest you make this easy for everyone and just hand over the money." It was Kari's turn to smile seductively. "A beautiful woman like yourself must have all the men running to you with septims in hand, right? You have plenty of gold, and stop acting like you don't." Kari walked away from the counter towards a small wall that divided part of the room into another one.

"Plus, I know of a certain something that would definitely be worth a lot of money." Kari saw it then. A small golden statue depicting the goddess Dibella. Grinning at Haelga, whose eyes were now wide with fear at losing her statue, Kari grabbed it and started making her way to the door.

"Stop! Stop, stop! Don't do this please! _I don't have the money!_"

"Oh, but then what is this? It is made of solid gold, and would actually be worth twice the amount you owe. So, I think I will just take this as payment instead… or maybe I should just drop this down the nearest well." Kari nodded to herself, as if this was a pleasing thought. "Yes… I think that is exactly what I will do." Smiling, Kari walked towards the door

"Wait! Just wait… I have the money right here. Take it, and give me the statue back." Kari nodded in acceptance. Haelga threw the bag of coin at the thief, and Kari tossed the statue haphazardly towards the Dibellan worshipper. Said worshipper dropped to the ground after having to dive to catch her precious statue.

Laughing at her first successful 'thugery', Kari didn't even look back as she heard the sniffling of the prostitute. Though that wasn't really what she was.

Walking away from the bunkhouse, Kari made her way over to the small goods store that was owned by Bersi Honey-Hand.

She whistled as she walked into the little place, and held her hand up to silence Bersi, who had begun to ask if she was looking for anything specific.

She continued to whistle her melodic tune, as she spotted what she was looking for. The dwarven urn. Which was conveniently located near a huge iron warhammer. She turned and smiled at Bersi, who had a very confused look on his face, and picked up the warhammer. She then proceeded to swing at the urn, with her full force, and it crumbled to the ground in a lot of pieces.

"W-What are y-you doing?" Stop! That urn was priceless!" Bersi looked devastated. As the ruckus of the urn subsided as it settled on the ground, who Kari assumed was Bersi's wife came running out of the back of the store.

"What's going on in here?" She demanded.

"Well you see… you're husband has been refusing to pay us. By us, I mean the thieves guild. I think it's about time to pay, don't you think?" Kari said with a grin.

"No! I will never pay your people! Tell them… No, tell _Brynjolf _I said I will never pay him back!" Bersi yelled at Kari in a blind rage.

"I guess I will just have to break some more things in your little shop until I get my point across."

Kari saw some more normal looking Nordic urns and smashed one of them before Beris's wife yelled, "Oh for Pete's sake, pay the damned woman Bersi!"

Bersi yelled in a rage, and tossed a bag that felt heavy enough to contain the right amount of payment.

"Here… take your gold! I hope you choke on it!" Kari barely heard the words as she was already half way out of the store when he yelled them.

Kari skipped her way over to the Bee and Barb, the little inn and tavern of Riften, to complete her assignment. She pushed the doors aside and walked over to the Argonian behind the counter.

"Hello. I'm looking for a Keerava?" Kari asked.

"I'm Keerava. What do you want?"

"I have been sent here by Brynjolf to collect your debt owed to him. Now, are you going to make this hard, or easy?" Kari replied.

"Oh… oh it's you. Here… take the gold. I don't want any trouble. You make sure and tell Brynjolf that the payments will be on time for now on!" Keerava told Kari as she was walking out.

_Well, that was a rather simple assignment. _Kari thought with a smile.

She made her way to the entrance of the sewers, and traversed the hallways until she reached the wooden bridge she let down the first time she walked these halls. She went to the door that would lead to the Ragged Flagon, and let herself inside.

"Oh Brynjolf! I've got the payments!" Kari yelled while jogging her way over to the red-headed nord.

"Aye, you do lass. And you did the job clean as well." Brynjolf replied with a pleased expression.

"Here ya are!" Kari said happily while handing over the three pouches. "So… what about _my _payment?"

Brynjolf chuckled, "Ha, smart as a whip you are, lass. Here you go." He said while handing over some poisons.

_Those should come in handy... _Kari thought.

"I told you we never forget our own." Brynjolf stated. "Now, I think you have more than proven yourself a capable thief. Follow me. There is someone you need to meet before you can become one of us."

"Sure thing. Who are they?"

"His name is Mercer Frey. He is the guild leader. He will make the final decision on whether or not you will be a member." Brynjolf said. "He can be… a little intimidating at times, but he is a good leader."

So, Kari followed Brynjolf to wherever it was he was leading her. Which was apparently the closet.

He pushed a button that released the back of the closet, and he pushed his way in. It revealed a short hallway with a door at the end.

"This is the main thief hideout. People only know about the Ragged Flagon. They don't know about the Cistern." Brynjolf told her.

"Makes sense to have a back-up." Kari replied.

Brynjolf opened the door, and Kari walked inside after him.

_Well, let's go meet this Mercer. _

She smiled.

OOOOOO

Hope you enjoyed it! R &amp; R!


	5. Chapter 4

Next installment is here ladies and gents! Enjoy!

OOOOO

The red headed nord and the black clothed woman made their way to the center of the Cistern. Kari looked at a medium sized Imperial who had a mean look to his face.

_That must be Mercer. The other people in here don't have an aura of danger and leadership quite like he does. _Kari thought. Mercer had blondish, chin length hair that had some grays peeking through. He had the typical imperial nose, and his eyes were as grey as a rainy cloud. His mouth looked as though it was stuck in a permanent grimace, and his jaw had light blonde-grey stubble. He looked as though he was very attractive when he was a younger soul, but the years of thievery must have taken a toll on him. He was an inch taller than Kari, and only slightly muscular, leaning towards being lean.

They finally made their way to the imperial man, and Brynjolf said, "Mercer, this is the one I was telling you about. Our new recruit."

Mercer turned to Kari and looked at her up and down with a sneer. "This had better not be another waste of the Guild's resources Brynjolf." He stated to the taller thief, and then turned back to the woman standing next to him.

Mercer looked her in the eyes and said, "Before we continue, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. If you play by the rules, you walk away rich. If you break the rules, you lose your share. No debates, and no discussions. You do what we say, when we say." He practically glared at her now. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Clear as a cloudless sky my good sir." Kari said, trying her best to be sincere and not sarcastic. She figured the big boss man probably caught the sarcasm underneath though.

"Good… I think it's time we put your expertise to the test." Mercer said with a mean look.

Brynjolf turned to him with a worried look on his face. "Wait just a moment Mercer, you aren't talking about Goldenglow are you?"

"As a matter of fact, I am talking about Goldenglow Brynjolf." Mercer stated, daring him to defy his choice.

"Even our little Vex couldn't get in." Brynjolf retorted.

"You claim this recruit possesses an aptitude for our line of work. If so, then let her prove it." Mercer turned to her, ending the discussion with Brynjolf.

"Goldenglow Estate is critically important to one of our largest, and most vital client. However, the owner of Goldenglow has shut us out, and no longer deals with us. He needs to be taught the error of his ways." He nods his head to the other male thief. "Brynjolf will provide you with the details."

"Mercer, aren't you forgetting something?" Brynjolf said.

"Hmm? Oh yes… since Brynjolf assures me you will be nothing but an asset to the guild, then you're in. Welcome to the Thieves' Guild." Mercer gave a brief, cold smile, then walked away.

Brynjolf sighs as Mercer walked away. Turning back to Kari, he said, "Welcome to the family lass. I'm expecting you to bring in a lot of coin. So don't disappoint me."

Kari nodded. "How do I get my cut of the spoils?"

"Simply do as you're told, and keep your blade clean. We can't make a profit from killing." He shrugged.

_Maybe you can't, but I have been known to… not that he knows that. _Kari thought. "Well, is there anyone here you think I should talk to before I leave?"

"Yeah. You should talk to Delvin Mallory and Vex. They know their way around, and they'll be able to kick some extra jobs your way. Oh, and talk to Tonilia in the Flagon… she will set you up with your new armor." He said.

She looked down at the clothes she was wearing. "Can I… keep wearing these if I want? I'm rather fond of them."

Brynjolf nodded. "Shouldn't be a problem if you want to. I would suggest maybe investing in some enchantments to help with your assignments though. Would make your life a lot easier."

Kari nodded and thanked him. "So what can you tell me about the Estate?"

"It's a bee farm. They use the bees to make honey for mead. It's owned by some wood elf named Aringoth. We need you to teach him a lesson by burning down three of the estate's bee hives, and clearing out the safe in the main house."

"…Alright. It sounds like a rather simple job so far. So, what's the catch?"

Brynjolf chuckled. "The catch, is that you can't burn the whole place to the ground. That important client Mercer told you about would be furious."

"Makes sense. Who is this client, by the way?"

"She would be Maven Black-Briar. One of the most influential citizens in Riften. Her reach goes even out of the borders of Riften, and even Skyrim. She is a very powerful person. Best not to cross her. The last thing we want to do is cross our clients."

"Alright, got it. But what should I do about Aringoth?" Kari asked.

"Maven prefers that he stays alive, but if he gets in your way from getting the job done, dispose of him."

He starts walking away to go talk to other guild members when he says over his shoulder, "The guild has a lot riding on this… don't make me look foolish by mucking it up."

"I won't, I promise." Kari called out after him.

She smiled a small smile, and walked back into the Flagon to talk to the three people he said to talk to.

She glanced around the underground bar, and saw an older, bald, Breton man sitting at a table, drinking what appeared to be mead. She walked over to him, and he looked up as she approached.

"Brynjolf, huh? Lemme guess. He plucked you off the street and dropped you into the thick of things without tellin' you which way is up. Am I right?" The older man asked her.

"I know what I am doing… but I would be a fool to pass up on any sort of help." Kari responded.

"See, that kind of attitude comes from someone who wants to get rich and stay alive long enough to enjoy it. We're goin' to get along nicely." He winked at Kari. "So, if you've got the nerve, I've got plenty of extra jobs to help get the Guild back on its feet."

"What do you mean, 'back on its feet'?" Kari inquired.

"Look around you. The Flagon, the Guild... it's all fallin' apart. A few decades ago, this place was as busy as the Imperial City. Now, you're lucky if you don't trip over a skeever instead."

Kari whistled. "Damn… the Imperial City is indeed a busy place… What made it so… barren?"

"Look, I know the others think I'm a bit daft for sayin' stuff like this, but I'm gonna give it to you straight." He paused and looked around. "Somethin' out there is piss-drunk mad at us. I don't know who or what it is, but it's beyond just you and me. We've been cursed."

"Cursed? Are you serious?" Kari asked, a little dumbfounded he would think that. Though, she herself did believe in curses, so she wasn't just going to blow off his assumption and reasoning.

"Of course. This ain't just bad luck. Luck tends to steal, and then give. Sometimes it gives and then steals right after. There's a balance." He shook his head and took a sip of his mead.

"Well…. What can we do to fix it?"

He looked her in the eye and said, "I'll tell you what we do. We spit in that curse's face and turn things around down here. Put things back the way they were. That's where you come in." he pointed at her. "I've got plenty of work available that could guide us down the road to recovery. All you need to do is ask and we can both come out of this smellin' like a rose." He finished by leaning back in his chair with a smile.

"Alright then. What kind of jobs do you have available?" Kari asked.

"Ha! Already ready to get started eh? Well, I handle the fishing, bedlam, and number jobs… ya know, the more personal ones. If break-ins are more your thing, go talk to Vex."

"I can handle anything. And that's not bravado speaking. It's skill." Kari grinned.

"Well that skill will get you injured, or worse, killed one day." He put a stern expression on his face, but it was wiped away quickly. "Now, tell me, what type of job would you like?"

"Hmm…. What can you tell me about the number jobs?"

"Most of the establishments in Skyrim keep their transactions recorded within business ledgers. Your job would be to change the numbers in those books so the shortfalls of the business seem legit, and the business is hurt financially... which is what the client wants. Feel like doing a bit of writin'?"

"Absolutely my good sir." Kari said.

"All right. Got a simple one. Just get in, change the books and be back in time for last call. So hows about it?" He told her as he wrote down the client, the victim, and the location of where Kari was supposed to go on a small piece of paper.

"Sure. I'll get on it as soon as possible." Kari said smiling. She walked away after Delvin raised his mug in parting to her.

She looked around, and quickly found someone who looked like a Vex. She was a blonde Imperial, who looked like she had a permanent glare plastered onto her face.

Kari walked over to her, about to say something, but was interrupted by the woman she was trying to talk to. Vex said, "Before we begin, I want to make two things perfectly clear. One, I'm the best infiltrator this rathole of a Guild's got, so if you think you're here to replace me, you're dead wrong. And two, you follow my lead and do exactly as I say... no questions, no excuses."

Kari blinked at her twice, before she had processed what just happened. "Uh… yeah. I'll keep that in mind."

"Then we understand each other... good. Now, it's time to get your feet wet and I don't want to waste a lot of time talking about anything but business."

"What kind of business are we talking about?"

"I'm not going to sugar-coat it for you. We're in a bad way down here."

"Do you have any idea why?" Kari asked.

"None. Old Delvin thinks it's some kind of a curse. I think he's crazy. If you want my opinion I say it's just plain old bad luck." Vex replied.

_Well, it seems as though I have two thieves with very different mind sets on what's going on down here… great. _Kari thought.

"Well, I most definitely want to help get the guild work its way back up, so you tell me what needs to be done and it'll be done." Kari told her.

"I'll tell you what you can do. You can get out there and start making a name for us again... make them start fearing us like they did long ago. And, while you're at it, make a little bit of coin on the side. Not a bad deal, eh?"

"Not bad at all. Delvin said you handle the less personal jobs right?"

"Yeah I do. I handle the burglary, shill, and sweep jobs. Take your pick." Vex offered.

"Tell me about the shill jobs, would you?"

"When a client needs us to eliminate another, we don't operate like the Dark Brotherhood. We find alternate means to get them out of the way. We send you to plant some phony evidence in the mark's house, and then tip off the town guard... the rest takes care of itself. Sound like you can handle it?"

"Yeah, who's the target?"

"It's all on this sheet of paper. That's how we give our information for small jobs like this." She sighed, looking at the paper. "Got a good one here. Personal score to settle between myself and this mark. You up for it?"

"Totally. It'll get done." Kari said, without a doubt.

"Good, just don't make me look like an ass in front of the guild." That was the last Kari talked to Vex before the blonde thief turned her attention to someone else. The two were talking about a botched up job.

Kari walked away, looking for the last person she really needed to talk to. Tonilia.

_There's a large brutish man who is talking to Vex, a bartender, Delvin, Ve-ah ha!_

Kari walked up onto a wooden platform that sat out onto the circular pool of water in the middle of the room. There sat a dark, Redguard woman, whom she assumed was Tonilia. Just the woman she was looking for.

"Are you Tonilia?" Kari asked her.

"Yes, I am. So, you're the new recruit, eh? Well, looks like you and I are going to have to get very well acquainted. I'm the fence down here. You come by anything you don't exactly own and I'll pay you some coin for it. Minus a little slice for the Guild, of course. I can also provide a few supplies useful to our trade now and again, for a small fee."

"That's nice, but is there anything you _don't _charge for?"

She scoffed. "Sure, how about I get Dirge to knock you over your head and dump you into the cistern? Look, I've been in this business a long time and I've seen all types. You can play it tough, you can play it smart... whatever. At the end of the day you'll find all we care about down here is how much gold you can make us."

Kari only nodded. Not wanting to get on anyone's bad side on her first day in a real thieves guild.

"Good. Then there isn't much more to say. Here's your armor, just make sure you put it to good use." Tonilia started to hand over some pieces of armor that looked as though they were enchanted, but Kari stopped her.

"Uh, I was actually going to continue to wear my own armor. I was going to enchant it myself and make a few adjustments." Tonilia raised a brow.

"Did Brynjolf give the okay? Or Mercer?"

"Yes actually. Brynjolf did."

Tonilia didn't say anything, but gave her a look. "Alright, if you don't want them I will give them to the next thief incoming."

"Okay, sounds good I guess. So, you are the fence right?"

Tonilia nodded.

"Okay," Kari continued, "I came from the Imperial City, and I had broken into a noble's home. I found..." She stopped to shuffle through her bag, after a moment pulling out something wrapped in a cloth. "I found this." She unwrapped the cloth form around it to reveal the candlestick encrusted with gems.

"Ah, that looks really nice. I take it you want to sell it?" Tonilia inquired.

"Yeah. I took it to a fence in the sewers beneath the Imperial City, and he told me to come to you if I wanted to triple my money with this thing…" She paused. "So what can you offer me?"

"Let me see it." Tonilia said. Kari handed over the candlestick and Tonilia weighed it with her hands, and added up the total amount that she would pay for this. Which was rather a lot.

"I think I could give you, say… ten thousand gold for this?"

Kari's jaw flapped open. "Really? That's awesome." Grinning, Kari asked, "So, when will I get my money."

"Now I suppose. I'm going to need to count the money though, so if you wait here it'll be awhile. Why don't you go do that job Brynjolf and Mercer gave you while I check your payment?"

Kari said, "Good idea. I'll be back, and I will expect the exact amount of gold to be on that table."

"Don't worry. I don't ditch out on guild members."

Kari grinned at her. Then walked back to the Cistern. She had seen a ladder that most likely led outside in an easier way than from the sewers. She walked in, and saw it quickly. She walked over to it and climbed up the ladder, pushing up the wooden grate that hid the secret guild entrance. It led out into a small stone room, and on the wall was a pull chain. Which she pulled.

After she pulled it, the roof began to move backwards, allowing her to walk up the stairs and out into Riften. She was in a very small church, fenced into a very small cemetery. She walked past the buildings and people and made her way outside of Riften. She walked over to where the lake met the edge of the water. She had to go to the island in the middle of it.

That was where her first real thieves guild mission began.

OOOOO

Hope you liked it! R &amp; R!


	6. Chapter 5

Here we are again! Thanks to those who stick around and take the time to review, fav, and follow!

Also, big thanks to my beta, ClayPuppet!

OOOOO

Kari sighed. There was really no way around it. She was going to have to swim to get to her objective. Which meant she was going to have to get wet. She hated being wet. Always had, and most likely always will.

It couldn't be helped though. Sighing again, she slowly started to wade into the murky lake water. Once she was no longer able to feel the squishy ground under her feet, she propelled herself forward with a thrust of her arms.

She was gliding in the water, barely making a sound... save for the occasional drip of water falling from her head onto the surface of the brown water.

She didn't have much further to go. She was almost to the shore on the small lake island where the main building sat. There was another smaller island adjacent to the main one. They were connected to each other by a short wooden platform. Kari went ahead and noted how that would seem to be the easiest way to get to the hives. But she would deal with those later. She wanted to get the literal inside job done first.

She climbed the rocks that protected the front of the building from people like her. Or they were at least supposed to. Crouching, she shifted her way over to the wooden doors that would let her inside. It was locked, obviously, but it wouldn't be a problem. Pulling out a lock pick from the pouch on her side, she got to work on the lock in front of her.

It was definitely one of the harder locks she had encountered in her career, but it was no match for her nimble fingers. She didn't even break a lock pick. Grinning, she pulled the door open as quietly as possible. Luckily, it didn't even make a sound.

Still crouching, she moved her legs, one after the other with speed and agility, mixed with gracefulness that not many people can say they have. It was a rather dimly lit place, but in a cozy way. If she ignored the fact that there were mercenaries on this very island who were paid to kill people like her, and if she also ignored that she was breaking and entering.

She walked through the barely lit halls, occasionally looking through some key holes to let her see inside the rooms beyond. Some of the rooms had chests that looked appealing, and so she would break in and take anything of value. The majority of things she took were a couple of handfuls of gold. Of course, she was duped by one chest when, after she opened it, all it contained was a raggedy old cap, and a couple of furs. It miffed her off a bit, but she forgot all about it when she came to a point where she encountered her first mercenary. He was wearing the normal and rather generic scaled armor, though he was armed to the teeth. He was standing and leaning against the wall where the hallway turned.

Her mind worked quickly, thinking of a way to get past him without him noticing, when all of a sudden, she heard a voice.

"Hey, Horkir, come 'ere for a second will ya?" A gruff voice said.

The bald thug that was leaning against the wall, and who was thankfully no longer in her way, turned towards her direction. He entered a room that was on the hallway she needed to go down. So when he was fully inside, and she could hear their voices slightly echoing through the hall, she crept her way quickly down the hall, passing the door without a sound, thankful that it was one of the darker passageways she had been down. She saw that there was a way to go upstairs, and figured she might as well go explore up there as well before heading after her real target. So creeping up the stairs, she wound her way through the hallways, sneaking into chests, and slipping past the guards that were stationed around the area. Most of them were drunk, and the others were looking bored out of their minds. They were all, however, armed to the teeth and still dangerous, so she was still just as cautious with them as she would be with guards who were actively searching for intruders.

She turned the corner and she caught sight of yet another mercenary. This one, however, was sitting down in a chair with a cup of mead in his hand. His hand, which she noted, was very droopy and was barely holding the cup up. She glanced at his face, and realized the drunken bastard was passed out.

She giggled in her mind, and shuffled past the man. Before she continued, she looked through the keyhole of the door that most likely led to the bedroom of Aringoth. She couldn't see the elf, so she quietly worked the lock pick into the simple lock, and let herself inside.

The door opened soundlessly and she looked around the darkened room. There was one measly candle on the table by the double bed. She walked a few steps further in before a small movement caught her eye in the corner of the room.

It was Aringoth.

Now, she wasn't one to panic, and honestly, even if she was she wouldn't have. This was something she had encountered before, so it was nothing new. She had actually had so many accident encounters like this, that she always kept a handy dandy little bottle of powder on her person. It took a moment for it to work, but it lasted up to ten minutes. Which was usually plenty of time for her to be in and out of a house.

So, as quietly as she could, she reached into one of the many small satchels that adorned her armor, and pulled out a small, grey bottle. She shook a small amount of the white powder out onto her palm, and when she was satisfied with the quantity she had, she blew air towards the pile of powder. It flew through the air and floated towards the shocked elf's face. He was breathing normally at first, but after about a minute, his breathing slowed... and after another minute, his shoulders drooped as he fell into a deep slumber.

Smiling she walked over to the high cheek boned elf and searched the pockets of his fancy clothing. She found a key. What it unlocked, she didn't know. She also pocketed about fifty septims. She stood up from his body and looked around the room, spotting a chest which she gladly opened. It contained yet more gold for her to eventually spend, and a lovely green emerald.

She nodded in satisfaction. She turned to leave the room, but a glint of a deep colored gold caught her eye. She flew over to the little golden statue as quickly as possible. If she were a dog, her tail would be wagging, and her tongue would be lolling about. Kari gently grasped the statue from the bottom, admiring the detail put into the little thing.

It was solid gold, and it was a statue of a queen bee. She could only guess that it went with something in accordance to the fact that this was a honey bee farm as well as a mead production facility. It looked expensive, and she was definitely going to take it with her.

Smiling, she dragged the sleeping body of Aringoth onto the double bed to make it appear to anyone who glanced in that nothing was wrong, and then she left the room. She wound her way through the many halls yet again, still avoiding the sight of the mercenaries looking out on this floor.

She made her way to the door that led to the stairs and made her way down, still being cautious and hoping the wooden stairs did not make any noises. Which they didn't.

She snuck to the corner of the hallway to where the mercenary named Hrokir was called away from. He was still gone, but now relocated to the end of the hall. Thankfully, that was not where she needed to go.

Staying low to the ground, she pulled out a lock pick to open up a metal gate that would lead downstairs. It had been across the hall that had been directly in front of the stairs that led to the upper floor. It was a very simple lock, and took her no more than a couple of seconds to take care of. As quietly as possible, she swung the gate open and went down the stairs that would lead to the basement. Again, going down the stairs, she looked around to see she was in the beginning of a storage space. There were baskets of food and cleaning tools.

Ignoring the items in her current room, she walked over to the door that should lead further inside the estate. It revealed an even darker area, and an added stingy musk intruded her nostrils as she breathed. It was not a pleasant smell.

Kari curled her lip in distaste, and crouched in the stale room. She had taken less than five steps before she saw the bald head mercenary with a brutish face, and his even bigger counterpart with blonde hair that reached to his shoulders. They were both facing away from her and were simply talking to each other.

She heard one of them laugh. There was a way to leave this room to their left, and much to her luck they were positioned to where they wouldn't even know she had passed them. So with that thought in mind, she slid her way behind them and through the passage way without them suspecting a thing.

Kari had to admit it... her luck had seemed to be on her good side tonight. "I'm just a lucky, lucky, little thief... aren't I?" She said to herself once she had gone a good distance away from the two mercenaries.

She didn't have to walk much further until her foot almost touched the orangey-red colored liquid that spread across the ground in front of her. It was oil. She walked on the outer edge of the hall, trying her best not to get any of the substance on her feet.

She shuffled a few more steps, and saw a black haired mercenary sitting down drinking some mead. This time however, the brute was facing towards her. Though, she quickly realized that his chair was sitting in the puddle of oil.

_How convenient._ Kari thought to herself. She walked back to where the oil had started, and quickly brought up a hand that cupped some fire in it already. Magic could really come in handy sometimes.

Moving her slightly curled fingers to point towards the oil puddle, the fire flew from her hands and jumped to the oil. It quickly caught fire. So quickly, in fact, that the mercenary who had been sitting down had no time to move as he was engulfed in flames. He yelled and grunted as he tried to put himself out, but eventually he fell... unable to take the pain of the heat from the fire. The smell of burned flesh wafted to Kari's nose, and she did her best to not breathe in the gods awful smell.

The oil had all but burned up. The fire died out, and she was now able to make progress again. She didn't encounter anyone else as she moved through the last remaining, dank halls. She came to a room that was a little cozier than the others, and luckily, it contained everything she needed to pretty much complete the job. She went to the safe first. Pulling out a lock pick, she was about to get to work on the difficult lock, but paused.

"Hmm..." She said aloud, thinking to herself. She pulled out the key that she had found on Aringoth's body. She slid the key into the lock, and it opened right up. She grinned, and pulled out all the gold first. Then she grabbed the letter that was inside. It had a seal on it, but it had obviously been broken and read already.

She couldn't read it yet. She needed to complete her job first, and since she had obtained what was in the safe, all that was left was to burn a few of the hives. She shut the safe door closed again, and made her way over to the gate that would lead to the sewers under the estate. She figured she could find a way out through there. So she opened the gate, and lifted the hatch to open the wooden square that would lead her to the most likely skeever-infested maze.

She looked over her shoulder one last time to make sure no one had found their way down here, and then dropped down into the dark sewers.

OOOOO

Well that is the end of that chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. ^.^

R &amp; R!


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